Holistic & Healthy Alternatives to Viagra – by Dr Holly on NFTS

Holistic & Healthy Alternatives to Viagra – by Dr Holly on NFTS

One of our listeners asked last week about Viagra and what could be a healthy alternative. I believe I said I would address the question this week as part of our intro. So let’s go for it.

What is the healthy alternative for Viagra?

Okay, so what do men use Viagra for? Erectile dysfunction or ED.

First off let’s understand that in order for an erection to occur there is an interplay between the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the muscles, hormones and of course your thoughts and emotions.

If all is working effectively, in the final stretch, the body needs to have sufficient vasodilators so that the blood flow increases in the penis, thereby causing an erection. One of the most commonly recognized vasodilators is nitric oxide – research explores how the body makes it and what it does in the body. Glutathione regulates the production and secretion of nitric oxide – which is interesting.

There are different components to ED:

Can’t get it up

Can get it up but not get hard enough

Can’t hold the erection

Can’t release

Reduced sexual drive

Lots of different components and of course lots of causes:

Low levels of nitric oxide

Caused by low levels of glutathione

Insufficient levels of amino acids like arginine,

Cardio issues:

Heart disease

Clogged arteries

High cholesterol

High blood pressure

Obesity, metabolic syndrome or Diabetes

Can lead to nerve damage that effect erection

Neurological disorders

Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, spinal cord injuries, strokes (especially in the right occipital area of the brain), epilepsy, MS

Medications

Anti-depressants

Anti-histamines

Hi blood pressure meds

Meds for pain: opiods (Percocet, oxycodone and morphine) and NSAIDs

Meds for prostate

Anti-parkinsonian drugs

Muscle relaxants

Anti-histamine drugs

Entertainment drugs

Alcohol

I don’t know of the research on street drugs

Tobacco use:

Restricts blood flow to arteries and veins

Sleep disorders

Diet issues:

Foods high in sodium

Foods high in saturated fats and trans fats that block the arteries

Grain fed/anti-biotic dairy and meat

Fried food – restaurant foods use oils high in trans fats

Canned or plastic foods that have BPA (Bisphenol-A) in the containers – that includes water bottles – the BPA mimics estrogen and increases estrogen levels in men – which in turn can cause ED

Foods high in sugar – cause AGEs – block function

Psychological issues:

Depression

Stress

Anxiety

Toxic relationships

What does Viagra do? Yes, it helps with an erection, but only if the man is already sexually stimulated. Okay…we can work with that. It increases blood flow to the penis by increasing levels of cGMP that causes the tissues to relax and leads to an increase in blood flow to the penis.

Foods that increase vasodilators include:

Foods high in nitrates:

beets, spinach, lettuce – body converts nitrate to nitrite;

the stomach’s hydrochloric acid also produces nitric oxide from nitrite

Foods high in flavonoids – help the body produce nitric oxide

Spinach, kale, broccoli, dark chocolate

Herbs like hawthorn

Foods high in amino acids like arginine

Hemp oil

Fish, chicken, eggs, milk cheese, walnuts, cashews and almonds

Foods high in 3-n- butylphythaldie – found in celery

Foods high in citrulline – watermelon – taken up by nitric oxide, provokes vasodilation, stimulate blood flow to the penis ; also helps to stimulate enzymes like cGMP

And let’s not forget foods that help the body create glutathione – that’s a whole long list that I have provided many times.

Herbs that are used for ED:

Hawthorne – impact on the whole cardiovascular system

Adaptogenic herbs – adrenals – your stress organ

Ashwagandha – blocks the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine in the brain – which works together with dopamine – which is the primary drives of erections; stimulates blood flow; stimulates nitric oxide production; lowers levels of cortisol, increases levels of DHEA – which is the precursor for testosterone; also improves other hormones like

Red ginseng, panax ginseng, – have nitric oxide

Maca like hemp has amino acids

Ginkgo biloba improves blood flow

Other factors that may help:

WALK – help get the vascular system working

Exercises that increase the pelvic floor

Acupuncture

noon pacific:

Wednesdays at NOON PST / 3PM EST – The Whole Health Initiative with Dr Holly – An NFTS Global Luminary broadcasting from Canada since March 2014 – Dr Holly is a Doctor of Natural Medicine, a scientist, a professional speaker, an author of Cancer: Why what you don’t know about your treatment could harm you and 12 other books and a practitioner. As a Doctor of Natural Medicine with 7 degrees & 3 designations in a wide range of healing modalities and 20 years experience, she can assist you in identifying and understanding your path to health. She can identify your underlying life themes, coping mechanisms, value systems and defense mechanisms to understanding the physiology and biochemistry and energy patterns of your body. She has a mobile health clinic that comes to your door and can assess 1000s of variables in front of you AND create a protocol unique to you. In addition, she provides consultation for physicians and clients around the world.

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